Changes
by americansnob
Summary: Alexis's point of view on Kate and Castle's relationship. Along season 4
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters

Kate quickly, yet silently, jumped off the last few steps and kneeled down to retrieve her Glock that had fallen between the cracks. She could feel the thud of her heart beating hard against the inside of her chest. He was after her again. His loud breaths echoed off the walls in the stairway and his light footsteps grew closer to where she was standing. Kate retreated further away from the steps with her back against the wall as she looked up into the dark staircase. She cursed under her breath as her foot loudly banged against a row of boxes, giving the man a clue to where she was hiding. Damn this empty and hollow staircase! Every move and every sound reverberated off the walls. She crouched down behind the tower of empty brown cardboard boxes that were left near the basement door, intended to be discarded later.

How could she have been so stupid, so careless. She had been warned repeatedly by the Captain and Castle that there was a madman after her, but she had insisted on returning home to her apartment. Castle kept nagging her, asking her to stay with him, but she refused his company. she watched him sulk away and flag down a cab. She was still mad at him. He spent weeks refusing to speak to her and dated any bimbo that set eyes on him. Kate never fooled herself, never thought she was together with Castle in the slightest, but still felt betrayed by his behavior and expected more from him. Later, she finally cornered him and confronted the feelings she felt towards him only to have it blow up in her face. She wasn't the only one keeping secrets and she still needed time to adjust to his secrets.

If there was a man out to get her she didn't want Castle to get caught in the middle of it. He had a family and other people who loved him, including herself. She was already responsible for him during the day and she didn't need to be responsible for his life after work too.

This was one of those few times where she wished she wasn't so stubborn because now was a good time to have some backup. She had sent back the police surveillance car that was outside her apartment as soon as she reached her apartment door. She didn't want, nor need, a cop car to babysit her. She was fully capable of taking care of herself. She had done it for years and this night wasn't any different. Kate claimed that she was safe since she had made it inside her building unharmed.

There was no way to anticipate what happened next. As soon as she slid her key into the keyhole she heard a noise from inside her apartment. It sounded like glass shattering all over the floor. Kate quickly pulled out her Glock and slowly opened her apartment door.

xxxx

She heard his breathing growing louder and quickly returned her attention to the stairs above her. The stairs hid him perfectly and no matter how hard she strained her ears the only hint was his erratic breathing getting louder and louder. There was nothing she could do but wait until he made a mistake or showed himself. Kate looked over her shoulder once more just to be certain he hadn't snuck up behind her somehow. She raised her gun so that it was leveled to her chest. She squinted out into the dark and crouched down as she peeked out from her hiding place. She knew he was moving closer, but the sight of him remained a mystery. When she still couldn't see him she skulked back behind the box and leaned her head back and sighed as she waited.

xxxx

With her gun drawn, she opened her apartment only to have it slammed back into her face, making her fall backwards and drop her purse and gun. The man took advantage of Kate's off balanced state and he kicked her in the side of her stomach, hit her in the face, and fled to the stairs. Kate instantly recovered, wiped the blood that was dripping down her nose, grabbed her Glock and chased after the madman. She didn't know what he was doing in her apartment but she knew that she had to track this man down before he escaped. Kate skipped some steps as she descended hoping to catch the guy. She wiped her nose in her sleeve once again as she felt more blood drip freely. Temporarily distracted by her current situation, she didn't see the man come from behind her and slam her into the railing. She involuntarily dropped her gun and watched in surprise as it fell out of reach, all the way to the basement. Kate gave the man all she had. She kicked him hard in the side and attempted a punch but he stopped her before contact, grabbed her hand and flipped her over on her back. He tried punching her but she easily blocked his attack. She threw a kick of her own causing him to tumble backwards. Kate used those few seconds to gather herself up and she sent a few harsh blows to his stomach, making him curl up in pain. She wished she had grabbed her phone from her purse. She needed some backup and oh no! Her gun. She quickly flew down the steps to retrieve her gun, hoping the man would remain immobile until she was back but she had no such luck. As soon as she reached the bottom she could hear him teasing her and yelling angry threats.

"I'm gonna find you. You can't hide from me forever," The man's teasing voice rang out from somewhere on the steps above.

She wished that she wasn't trapped at the bottom of the staircase. There was no other place to hide. He had the upper hand and from his view point she knew that she wouldn't stay hidden in her hiding place forever.

From the corner of her eye she spotted the dark figure. She carefully took aim with her a gun and called out to him, "Don't move or I will shoot!" The asshole refused to listen and she was forced to shoot him. Shooting a real person was never an easy task and she aimed to maim the man. She watched his body crumple to the floor when the bullet hit his flesh and came out the other side. Although the man tried to hurt her, Kate ran to aid the man she shot. She took off her sweater and placed it right below the man's shoulder hoping to stop the man from bleeding out. She sat there shaking as she tried to apply pressure to him. Someone must have heard the firing because sirens were heard wailing in the distance. As the adrenaline wore off, Kate shifted in her place, winced at some of the injuries she received, and bit her bottom lip as pain shot through the lower half of her body.

"Beckett! Kate? Where are you? Are you alright?" A frantic but familiar voice rang out through the stairs.

Kate knew who that voice belonged to and smiled to herself. She was too tired, too hurt to answer him and she knew it was just a matter of time until he found her at the bottom of the steps. She heard the chatter of the ambulance and police approaching and moments later she felt a strong set of arms wrap around her. She took in the smell of his cologne, his touch, and her heart sank in her stomach. She truly loved this man, really wanted to trust him, but she wasn't sure she knew how to do it. He pulled her closer and a cry of pain escaped her lips from the sudden movement.

"You're hurt?" Castle asked, as concern seeped into his blue eyes and voice. He heard her cry and only then noticed her bloody face.

"I'll be fine. I'm just a little sore. It's just a few black and blue marks. Nothing major so you don't have to worry about me," Kate said, trying to reassure him. The concern never left his eyes and she had to get him to stop looking at her like that. "It's nothing a warm bath and sleep can't heal. Just help me to my apartment. K?" Kate asked, hoping to retire to her bed.

"No," Castle said.

"No?" Kate asked confused. "No, you can't help me to my apartment?"

"Exactly. You're going to get checked out first and there is no way you're staying by yourself in your apartment."

"Castle, I'm fine and why can't I stay in my apartment? It's not like there is someone after me anymore," Kate said, exasperated.

"We'll let the medics decide if you are fine and no matter what the medics say there is no way in hell you're staying by yourself tonight with those injuries," Castle said, pushing a piece of her hair out of her face.

She would never admit it to him now, but she was happy that she wouldn't face the night alone. She loved how he wasn't afraid to take over control and it probably helped that she was too tired to fight with him at the moment. All she could do was give in to him, but not without a little attitude. "Whatever! Fine, just get me out of here," Kate said, rolling her eyes at him.

* * *

The next day Kate awoke to a strong smell of coffee brewing. Still unwilling to get up, she slowly opened one eye and looked around the room, realizing she was not sleeping in her bed. She moved her body to get a better view of the room but halted when a searing pain struck her side. Suddenly, she remembered everything from the night before. After receiving a strong dosage of pain killers from the medics Castle had brought Kate to his loft and had helped her into the guest room.

Not wanting be stuck in bed Kate retracted the covers and slowly sat up, stretching her stiff muscles. Pain raked through the lower half of her body and she bit her bottom to stifle a cry of pain. Determined to feel better Kate concentrated on moving her legs over to the edge of the bed, letting them dangle and then adding some pressure to one foot at a time as she stepped onto the fluffy, soft, beige rug near the bed.

"Kate? Are you awake?" Castle asked as he knocked twice, opened the bedroom door slightly, and peeked inside. It was already twelve noon and he knew she would never sleep that late on a normal day. "How are you feeling?" Castle asked looking around. "I brought you food if you are hungry," he said, as he placed a plate of pancakes and syrup down on the night stand and put the cup of coffee on the side.

Kate looked hungrily at the food and smiled. "Mhmm... It looks amazing!" She ate quickly and sipped at her hot coffee even before it had time to cool off.

Kate struggled to stand and Castle couldn't watch her struggle any longer. "Umm... need help to the bathroom?"

Kate looked up at him with sparkling, wet green eyes and then leaned on his arm for support. "Thanks for helping me and everything else you've done," she said, trying to hide the pain that coursed through her body as she stood.

"Always," was the automatic response he always had for Kate. As soon as they reached the door of the bathroom he cleared his throat. "If you need any more help just call me. I'll be right here to help you." A deep shade of pink crept across Kate's cheek.

Kate couldn't believe how much of a perfect gentleman Castle was being now and last night. He had helped her out of her clothes with his eyes closed or her back turned away from him and he even gave her one of his oversized T-shirts last night. Knowing how much it would hurt to lift her arms she turned to him shyly and softly asked, "Can you help me with the tub and out of this shirt before you go?"

With a smirk, Castle said, "If you let me I could always join you in the tub." He leaned over the faucet, tested the waters, and stepped back towards Kate as the the water filled the tub.

"Shut up! Forget I asked you for help. I'll just do it by myself." Kate said, swatting his hands away and laughed when he pretended to look hurt.

Castle laughed, grabbed a towel and said, "Don't think you could get rid of me that easily. Turn around and I'll try not to stare too much."

"Castle!" Kate seethed, eyes wide by what he was insinuating. "You know I carry a gun," Kate said. Saying it but not really meaning it.

"Just a joke," Castle said wrapping a towel around her skinny body and modestly taking off the oversized t-shirt he gave her. "I don't feel any gun under here," he whispered into her ear before he turned around and left the bathroom.

Kate smiled to herself when Castle covered her with the towel and when his hand brushed over parts of her bare skin she felt goosebumps travel up her arm. She wasn't sure if he saw what he did to her but if he saw then he was becoming a bigger gentleman every day. Kate lowered herself into the bath and relaxed.

XXXX

* * *

**One Day Later Alexis's POV: **

"Alexis, come downstairs!" Richard Castle screamed upstairs to his daughter.

Alexis closed her light green furry diary and tucked it away under her mattress. She knew her dad wouldn't read the diary, but she still felt the need to hide it from prying eyes. The smell of food cooking wafted through the air and Alexis sighed to herself as her mouth salivated.

Slowly she stepped out of her room and made her way down the stairs. Peeking out from the bottom step she stared at the way Kate moved freely around the kitchen. Kate whispered something to her father. It must have been really funny because they were both laughing and touching. Their faces were inches away and their eyes were locked on each other. Alexis loathed the way the woman was standing in the kitchen with her father. She bit her tongue and squeezed her hands into fists as anger boiled up into her chest. Who the hell did Kate think she was to come in here and sweep her dad away?

_Don't get me wrong I love Kate and I always liked seeing her with my dad because he's always smiling with her. But now that I'm not so busy with school work I've only just realized how much time my dad spends at the precinct. Away from me. Even when he is around he is usually too exhausted to spend time with me._

Kate has the whole fucking day with him and now she is spending my time with my dad. Dad and I

_always cook together or he cooks and I watch, but that's our time together and Kate is stealing it all away.  
_  
"Kate has made one of her mother's old dishes and she is really excited to see if we like it as much as she does," Richard said, smiling when he saw Alexis.

It had to be pride or the fact that she wanted to hurt Kate as much as she was hurting at the moment. Instead of joining them like she normally would have, she turned away and said in a menacing tone, "I'm not hungry." She disappeared as soon as those words left her mouth. She walked away fast but slow enough to keep the red flags from flying up. She was upset but wasn't ready to discuss it with her father. She didn't want to get bombarded with questions and fleeing was the best way to avoid it. Alexis smiled inside when she saw a frown appear on Kate's face and heard her say, "oh." Alexis instantly regretted turning dinner down when her door was closed and locked. Her stomach grumbled from hunger and she was tempted to go back down the stairs. She was sure Kate sensed that something was wrong, maybe even knew that the hostility was aimed towards her, but when no one came up to see if she was okay, the little joy she felt earlier quickly faltered. Sitting in her room she knew she was just punishing herself. Her loneliness replaced the anger she held. Her thoughts briefly flew to Ashley, her ex-boyfriend, but knowing that would be even worse to think about, she forced herself to think of other things.

Alexis took out her diary, made herself comfortable across her bed, and began writing on the crisp new page before her.


	2. Confusion

Being in the care of Castle had been Kate's two days of heaven until Alexis started ignoring her. Why was Alexis giving her the cold shoulder? What had changed between them? She knew things were different between them ever since the shooting, but they were making a lot of progress. She even thought they were becoming friends. Alexis always acted nicely towards Castle's ex- wives even when she didn't want them around so why was Alexis acting like this towards her? Kate didn't want to think of Castle's ex-wives or girlfriends but she couldn't help comparing herself to them. Jealousy seeped through her veins. She didn't want these jealous feelings to cloud what she felt towards him. She loved every second she spent with him and how well he took care of her. Her heart fluttered making her almost forget why she was mad at him to begin with.

Almost was the keyword here. They both had issues they needed to work out but at the moment she wanted to forget about the secrets Castle kept from her about her Mom's case. She looked up at him and noticed that he was watching her as she picked at her favorite dish.

"What are you thinking about?" Castle asked, before taking a forkful of food and stuffing it in his mouth.

"How creepy it is the way you always stare at me," Kate said, breaking into a smile.

Castle didn't push her to talk further but the loving look he had in his eyes pushed her to share her thoughts.

"It's just Alexis. I think... she's avoiding me," Kate stated her voice rising. She lowered her eyes back to her plate. "I'm not imagining it. There's something bothering her. You have to go up there and talk to her."

Alexis may have perfected her poker face, but Kate saw that same face before. A few weeks earlier after Kate had spilled her secrets, Castle wore that same phony expression.

"I'm feeling a lot better thanks to you so I'm going to collect my things and go home," Kate said, poking at her food one last time before she let the fork clatter on her plate.

"Running again?" Castle asked under his breath.

"What?" Kate asked shocked that he would even think that. "I'm not running! I just think you need to spend some more time with your daughter and talk to her," Kate said with a resolved look in her eyes. She stood up and headed to the room she had been sleeping in for the past two nights. As soon as the room cleared, Castle leaned back in his chair, breathed in, and sighed loudly.

XXXX

Alexis stared hard at the blank page before her. There was so much to write but she struggled to find the right words to describe how she was feeling. Simply aiming for the facts, Alexis bit the top of her pen before scribbling in her diary.

_Everything in my life is changing! I just graduated high school and in a few weeks I'm going off to Stamford where I could potentially meet up with—. _

Suddenly the words started to flow. Emotions poured from her heart to the paper.

_I'm so not ready to face Ashley. What if he has a girlfriend? Everyone is happy with their girlfriends or boyfriends, my Dad and Paige. Paige claims that we will still be friends in college but with Paige going to NYU and me going to Stamford, I'm scared we won't be able to keep in touch. Things will definitely change between us. She will meet new people quickly and inevitably forget about me._

_I finished all my internship jobs and now I'm free for the summer. Aside for all the dead bodies, it was rewarding and fun working with Lanie. _

_Why is everything changing and why can't I stop it?  
_

_The worst change at the moment was the changes between my Dad and Kate. Being together with them for the past two days had given me a bad idea of what it would be like to hang out with them. I will always feel like a third wheel. I can't wait to get out of this house, away from them because then I will never to catch them making googly eyes at each other.  
_

_With Grams in California, there is no one to talk to. I need her to come home already! _

XXXX

"Beckett!" Kate barked into her cell phone that she held near her left ear.

"Beckett? Where are you? Are you still by Castle's loft?" Esposito asked with an urgency to his voice.

"Yeah, why? Do you need my help? I was just planning on leaving and I could be there in ten if_‒_"

"No! No stay with Castle; don't go anywhere! The Captain will punish you if you come down here and help with this case. You know she wont let you work on this case because you are involved in it."

"I could always come down there and work on some of the other cases that are piling up on my desk. I'm feeling a lot better and I was thinking of coming in tomorrow but I could really come down now. It's not a big deal."

"No! Beckett stay there!"

"What's going on Esposito?" Kate knew there was something wrong and she hoped her voice conveyed that she was not in the mood for nonsense. She needed to know what was going on with the case.

"It's Frankie, the man who attacked you. He managed to get a gun and escape from the hospital. There were two police men that were watching over him. Both of them got shot in the heart. One died right away and the other one is down in the ICU. We're not sure if he had help getting out, but we have posted his picture around the city and we have a team looking for him."

Kate stopped listening. The man who attacked her escaped the hospital and was probably out to kill her at the moment. Her heart sped up as she felt a warm hand grab her shoulder. Unsure of who it was behind her, she let her cell phone drop to the floor, grabbed the person's hand and swirled around just as she flipped Castle to the ground.

"Castle!" Kate exclaimed happy to see that it wasn't Frankie attacking her. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" Kate scolded as she searched for her phone and picked it up. She turned away from Castle who was pouting with a hurt look on his face.

She rolled her eyes, put her cell phone to her ear and caught Esposito saying, "We sent a surveillance car to Castle's loft so stay there for the night and please don't do anything stupid."

"Thanks for the heads up and I'll keep that in mind," Kate said, ending the call.

"What?" Kate asked, spinning around towards Castle.

"I was just thinking that maybe you could stay here while I talk with Alexis and tomorrow maybe we could all go out to dinner and a movie," Castle said as he watched Kate collect all of her belongings and shove them into her overnight bag. "Please Kate, stop packing and stay here for me."

She couldn't say no that face but she didn't want to put Castle in any more danger with Frankie on the loose. With a sigh she put the shirt she held down on her bed and said, "Castle, that was Esposito on the phone and Frankie, the man who attacked me, escaped from the hospital. I don't want to put you and Alexis in any more danger so I think it's better if I leave."

"Kate, you can't leave! What if he's out there and goes to your apartment?" Castle asked with a scared looked.

"Castle, I have a gun. I'll be fine," she wanted to yell but it only came out as a whisper.

"Like last time?" Castle asked, making it come out a little harsher than usual.

"Hey, I had the man down didn't I? Next time I'll just have to aim better," she said, hoping to lighten the mood.

"This is serious Kate! I love you and I don't want to lose you!"

Kate bit down on her bottom lip before saying, "I don't want to lose you either."

Castle pulled Kate into a hug and kissed the top of her head. He loved the smell of his shampoo on her. Kate lifted her head from his chest, looked into his eyes and said, "I love you too." Relief took over her body when his lips came upon hers. She drew her hands to his head and ran her hands through his hair before pulling away from him.

"Castle, go speak to Alexis and then we need to talk too."

"I'll go if you promise to stay," Castle said, holding her tightly until he got a nod from her. She nodded and watched him reluctantly leave the room.

XXXX

"Alexis? Can I come in?" Castle asked, knocking on the wooden door before him.

Alexis quickly shoved her light green, furry diary under her mattress and then stood up to answer the door. "Dad, whats up?" she asked, placing an upbeat smile on her face. Pretending to be happy was becoming more exhausting every second.

"We need to talk, Pumpkin," Castle said, opening the door a little wider. He stepped inside her room and closed the door behind him.

"Where's Kate?" Alexis said, with anger and disgust dripping into each word.

"She's in the guest room and that's what I'm here to discuss with you."

Alexis hated seeing her dad look so stressed and hated it even more knowing that she was the one causing it. She wanted to make his stress go away so she let her dad pull her onto the bed and they both sat facing each other.

"Honey, I want to know how you feel about Kate and I want you to tell me the truth," Castle said, taking his daughters hands in his own.

Alexis looked down at her hands and felt tears slowly drip down her face. "I like Kate. I really do but aren't you scared that she'll run? She left you hanging last summer and she ran after you told her about her mother's case. How do you know she won't run when things get tough again? I don't want to see you get hurt again. You've been through so much heartbreak and Dad, I don't think I could watch you go through that again."

"Kate told me she loves me. We're still figuring things out, but right now I just have to trust that she wants this as much as I do," he said, placing his hand under her chin and picking her head up. "Could you give her a chance for my sake?"

"Yeah, sure," she said, blinking her tears away. She shook her head free from his hand and once again she placed a fake smile on her face.

"And tomorrow... Free your schedule. Kate is going back to work so it'll be just you and me," he said, softly with a smile that reached his eyes.

Castle satisfied with the result of their talk, kissed his daughter on the cheek, stood up, and left her room.

* * *

**Originally, I was just going to make this story a one shot, but I have decided to work on this more. Alexis's character is a little complicated to write and I want to get it right. I'm going to watch more episodes on how she acts so just bear with me for a few more days. It'll get better between Kate and Alexis I just had to set the mood.  
**

**Enjoy :)**


	3. Time

Kate made her way down the stairs the next morning and was surprised to find a certain writer already up and cooking pancakes.

"Hey, you," Kate said, stepping closer to Rick. She leaned against the kitchen counter and said, "You should've woken me last night."

"I didn't have the heart to wake you. You looked so peaceful and we could find another time to talk about things," Rick traced his fingers along Kate's jawline. "How about later tonight?"

Kate's heart sped up. She loved the way he looked at her, loved the tingles running through her body when his fingers touched her.

"I...Yeah, tonight sounds good. What are you going to do today?" she asked, fetching a plate and a pancake.

Happy to find the coffee already brewed, she took a cup and settled at the table.

"Alexis and I will spend the day together, but if a dead body drops, call me," Rick said, sitting down beside Kate.

"Even if a body drops I don't think it would be wise to come. I think Alexis needs you more today." She lifted her head, stared into his gorgeous, sea blue eyes and brushed a quick kiss to his lips.

"I gotta go to the precinct now. There's paperwork piling up at the corner of my desk and Gates will kill me if I take off another day." With a sigh Kate stuffed the last piece of pancake in her mouth, washed it down with coffee, and left.

XXXX

Alexis rolled over in her bed and recoiled in surprise when she found a laser gun next to her pillow with a note stuck on the side.

_Best 2-3; so suit up!_

A big smile spread across Alexis's face. She jumped out of bed and skipped to the bathroom to wash up.

Minutes later she appeared fully suited up in laser tag gear. She peeked out from behind her bedroom door, using the door as a shield. As soon as she was sure the coast was clear, she crept to the banister at the top of the stairs. Her eyes brightened when she saw breakfast on the dining room table.

_This has to be trap! As soon as I go down there Dad will jump me. Where could he be?_

She scanned the room and slowly made her way down the stairs as quietly as she could, but when she reached the last step, the floor creaked loudly. she stood still straining her ears as she listened for other sounds, but there was nothing. She cautiously walked to the table, placed pancakes on an extra plate plate, sprinkled lots of confectionery sugar, and placed two strawberries on top.

Alexis looked around the room once more before digging into her breakfast.

"Ahaa!" Castle shouted, as he shot his laser gun at a stunned Alexis who had sugar stuck to the corners of her mouth. Too hungry to care, Alexis sighed as her gun made several "dink" noises. Her father always managed to set up perfect traps and she swore that next time she would get him back.

"Dad!" Alexis wined. "You have to let me eat something first. It's not fair."

"All's fair in love and war, honey. All's fair," he said, winking and left Alexis with her breakfast.

She took one last bite of food, drank the rest of her freshly squeezed orange juice, and went to find her father's new hiding place.

_If he isn't going to play fair then neither will I._

Alexis's vest glowed blue when she turned off the lights in the living room, dining room, and kitchen. Several minutes passed as she searched for her father. She froze when she heard a vibrating noise come from her father's study. Instead of walking in and surprising him there as he answered his phone, she decide to surprise him in a different way. Castle's bedroom is attached to his office so Alexis went into his bedroom, slowly crawling on my knees thinking she would be able to surprise him from the bedroom door that lead to his office.

Alexis found Castle standing at the door to his office and he spun towards her as soon as she opened his bedroom door. He already had his gun drawn and was about to fire at her for the second time today. With no time to react, Alexis quickly retreated through the door and ran for cover behind one of the bookcases. She stood still, catching her breath and swore quietly.

_I can't believe he almost hit me again!_

Alexis caught sight of green lights shining in the dark living room somewhere near the couch.

_How did I miss my father coming out of his room?_

The lights disappeared just as quickly as they appeared. She pressed her body further into the bookshelf before leaping into the air, rolled on her back, and landed with her gun drawn at the side of the couch.

She looked behind the couch, but there was no one there. Fear struck her as she looked around the room.

_He had tricked me and now I was exposed to my sly father._

Then she saw the green light again. He was heading into the kitchen and she knew the perfect spot to shoot him from. It didn't look like he was paying attention to the game because otherwise he would've seen her lights. Alexis crawled on her stomach until she reached the opened bookshelf. She slowly stood up and looked through the cracks in the books. A smile played on Castle's face as he read a text he received.

_ It must have been a text from Kate. Only she could get him to smile like that. My heart leaped at the thought of my dad being happy._

Alexis smiled, aimed her gun, and watched his smile disappear when he realized he was hit.

XXXX

The day was going perfectly, Alexis thought as it neared lunch time. Father and daughter were both seated happily on the couch in front of the TV after playing a long game of laser tag. Alexis was cuddled up against her father's side, laughing at a joke on the screen. Her smile faded when her father's phone vibrated for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. It had to be another text from Kate.

"Do you want to go out to eat lunch? We could ask Kate to join us. Since she is only allowed to do paperwork today, she'll be able to come," Castle said, nervously looking at his daughter expectantly.

_I looked at my father's face and could tell he really wanted to see Kate. The stress he showed last night and hid this morning, reappeared across his face. I had to erase all those worried lines. Although I wished the day would be about my dad and me, I promised I would give Kate a chance. I took a deep breath, smiled and said, "Sure, Dad, I would love that."_

XXXX

"What!" both women exclaimed.

Castle, Alexis, and Kate were sitting at a table in Remy's restaurant. The table was located towards the back of the room so they could eat in private. Flattering as it usually was, Castle didn't want to get interrupted this time by any of his crazed fans; he wanted to spend lunch with family.

"Paula told me that I have to go and promote my new book," Castle explained. "It'll only be for two days and I'll be back before you know it."

"I thought we were going shopping for college on Thursday!" Alexis said, annoyed that Paula was ruining her plans.

"You know how Paula is. I tried getting out of it but she was very insistent about this. Aren't you free next week?" Castle asked. He waited for Alexis to nod in confirmation and then continued. "We could do it Sunday instead."

"I'm not on call Thursday morning. I just have to be available at night so I could take you shopping if you want," Kate offered. Alexis gave Kate a hard stare. She didn't want Kate to take her shopping. She only wanted her father to go with her.

Castle's eyes lit up at Kate's suggestion. The thought of having his two women spend time together and having fun made him happy. "That would be perfect, Kate. Alexis? It would also be a good way for both of you to bond with each other." Castle reached for Kate's hand and beamed at her.

Kate stared across the table at the young woman before her. Alexis's attitude had changed a lot since the night before. Sometimes she would glare at Kate and answer with curt answers, but overall it was better. Kate thought this offer would soften Alexis, but it didn't. When Kate offered to help Alexis go shopping, the glares became more intense. How could Castle not see how much his daughter was hurting? Kate was trying to be as nice as possible but Alexis was making it difficult.

XXXX

_I don't want to make that smile disappear from his face. I don't want to go shopping with Kate but I promised my dad that I would give Kate a chance._

"Thanks for offering to go shopping with me." Alexis said, trying to smile. "I just wish you could come with me, Dad." Alexis tried to keep a smile on her face but she could feel tears form in her eyes. "Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom."

_I blinked back some threatening tears as I got up from my chair and walked to the bathroom. I'm going away from home in a month and now my dad is going away for a few days. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with him before I leave. I don't know if I could go so far away. I'm going to miss my dad so much. What if Kate leaves my dad and I'm too far away? Who will watch out for Dad then?_

XXXX

"When did you find out you were going away?" Kate asked Castle as soon as Alexis went to the bathroom.

"Paula told me yesterday that she had a room booked for me in California. It will be like a regular reading. I'm going to have to read a chapter from my book, make small talk, and sign a lot books."

"Just books?" Kate scoffed, under her breath.

"Hey!" Castle said, cupping Kate's chin. "Kate, you're the only one I want and yes, the only things I will be signing are books." He stroked her chin and lightly kissed her lips. "I love you!"

"I know. I love you too." She stared into his blue eyes and then blinked, coming back to reality. "Why did you tell me Alexis wanted to spend lunch with me?"

"She _did_ want to have lunch with you. I asked her if we should invite you and she said yes."

"Are you really that blind? Didn't you see the way she was staring at me? I'm telling you, Rick, she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, Kate. You just have to give her time to get used to the idea that you will be sticking around." He wanted to add "forever" but he was scared Kate would run or cringe at that idea. "She even wants you to go shopping with her."

"No. She wants to go shopping with _you_, she only agreed to go with me." They were forced to turn away from their conversation when the waiter brought them the rest of their food. They both thanked the waiter before returning their attention to each other.

When Alexis returned from the bathroom, they all ate in silence. The car ride home was even less eventful. Alexis spent the ride staring out the window or pretending to sleep. Kate sat near the other window, lost in thought. Kate had to find a way to connect with Alexis and she had a bad feeling the only way it would happen is if she stopped seeing Castle. Kate's stomach twisted at the thought of not being with Castle. She didn't want to live another day without him. She wasn't looking forward to the days Castle would be in California, even if it was only for two days.

XXXX

_I thought after lunch my dad and I would have the rest of the afternoon together, but I quickly learned that it wasn't going to happen. Kate had finished her paperwork and the only active case was the one she wasn't allowed to work on. My dad happily invited her to stay in the loft and a surveillance police car followed our car. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my father reach for Kate's hand but she pushed his hand away. Was she pulling away already? I quickly shut my eyes again and tried to clear my mind._

As they neared the loft, Castle said, "My two favorite girls are upset and I don't know how to fix it."

_My anger abated and my heart ached. I didn't mean to act like some spoiled brat and I didn't want to cause my father more agony. I was really trying to act nicely towards Kate but she was the reason why I was feeling left out._

"Girls?" Kate asked, jokingly.

"Women. I meant women," Castle quickly replied, correcting his mistake. They both smiled at each other.

As soon as the car stopped, Alexis felt her father pat her back and softly call her name in order to wake her up. Alexis opened up her eyes and wrapped her arms around her father. "I love you," she said before placing a kiss on his cheek. She hoped that this would make her father feel better. She would've hugged Kate too but at that moment it just felt a little too awkward. It was going to take a little more time.

* * *

**First of all OMG! Last nights episode was amazing! Can't believe what happened with the case, Esposito and Kate. **

**Will there be a Ryan and Esposito's friendship? :/ **

** Sorry that it took so long to load this chapter. I had a few ideas and every time I wrote them out I ended up rewriting it. I'm working on the next chapter and I hope to update faster. **

**Enjoy!**


	4. Answers

Alexis sat in the kitchen on Thursday morning staring at the long list of items to buy for her dorm room. There were so many things to buy and it was becoming so overwhelming to think about. Thursday could not have come any faster.

XXXX

**Tuesday night, 3 days earlier.**

"Rick, I'll be fine. The captain still has the surveillance car watching my apartment building and they even follow me everywhere I go at night," Kate said, rolling her eyes. "Plus, Alexis needs more alone time with her dad and I think I've been hogging a lot of it."

"It's not like that, Kate," he was going to argue with her, but the stern and resolved look on her face told him not to bother. He knew she wouldn't budge but it wasn't a crime to try and make her stay. Over the past few days they had the same conversation about Frankie and Alexis. He wished he didn't have to to divide his time between his two favorite girls but lately they haven't been happy spending it together. He sighed loudly and said, "Just call me when you get in your apartment and you're safe, okay?"

Kate loved the man standing before her, but lately he was getting more protective over her especially when he thought about Frankie. Kate rolled her eyes and said, "Fine!" Ever since Frankie attacked her in her building she became more alert of her surroundings and ready. She didn't think she needed the surveillance team but she didn't fight about it much to make everyone else happy.

Kate didn't want to leave Rick the night before he was going to California. She knew Alexis needed that time with her father. Kate grabbed her things, placed a soft lingering kiss on Castle's lips and said, "See you tomorrow," before leaving the loft.

Rick stood by the front door and watched as Kate disappeared through the open elevator doors. As the doors closed, she turned around, pressed the lobby button and Rick called out, "See you."

"What should we watch first?" Alexis asked, walking towards the door and breaking Castle out of his reverie.

"You pick the first movie and I'll pick the next one," Castle said, pulling Alexis into his arms.

Happily, they both sat on the couch with a bowl of fruit in hand. Twenty minutes later they, put their empty bowls on the coffee table and Alexis cuddled into the side of her father's body.

"When I'm gone Kate will be here if you need anything and I will be a phone call away, okay?"

"I know she'll be here," Alexis said, resting her head on his stomach.

"She cares about you, you know and she wants to get to know you better. She's scared you hate her and it's hard for her—"

"It's not like that! She said that?" Alexis shook her head. "It's not like that, Dad. It's just different having her around. I'll try harder."

"I know. I love you, honey!" Castle said, kissing his daughter's forehead and hugging her tighter.

"I love you too, Dad." Alexis said, looking at her father's face. She planted a kiss on his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder.

A few minutes later Rick's cell phone rang. "Hey Castle." A soft voice came on the line. "I'm just calling to tell you that you could stop worrying about me. I made it into my apartment without getting attacked."

"Thanks for calling me, Kate. I'll never stop worrying about you, but I'm glad you're safe."

"Good night, Castle."

"Until tomorrow."

Alexis closed her eyes and listened to the movie in the background as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Alexis, sweetie, wake up. I have to leave in an hour; come get up."

Alexis closed her eyes, covered her face with her blanket and rolled over in her soft bed. She couldn't remember how she got into bed but smiled knowing that it must have been her father who tucked her into bed after she fell asleep on him. She uncovered her face, opened her eyes, and moaned. "What time is it?"

"It's eight." He stood up and paused by the door. "Hurry downstairs or your breakfast will get cold," he said before he left her room.

XXXX

Frankie stood from afar as he watched Kate Beckett pull up into the airport's parking lot at nine. He was going to make this woman pay for everything she had done to him. Frankie remembered that day. Just seven years ago. It was the day she stole his life from him. Sure, it was deemed an accident, but he knew better. What does "line of duty" mean when the love of his life was brutally taken from him? The police came out of nowhere screaming, "Freeze! Don't move!" They tried to run away but the police had their guns drawn, threatening to shoot. Carrol reached for her pocket and Beckett yelled, "Freeze! Keep your hands where I can see them." Carrol continued. He'll never forget the sound of the bullet nor the lifeless look on Carrol's face as she fell to the ground. He dropped down beside her crying.

That day he vowed to avenge Carrol's murder. The day Frankie was released from jail he tracked down Detective Kate Beckett. A few days later he broke into her apartment building and attacked her, but she won. This time he was going to take careful measures for the next time he planned to attack her. He watched her day and night, watched her pace on the side walk. He needed to find her weak spot, a perfect moment to attack. A half hour later, Kate straightened up as a taxi pulled up to the curb.

When Kate saw Alexis and Rick step out of the taxi and walk side by side through the entrance of the airport her eyes lit up. Kate agreed to meet the Castles at the airport, anxious about him leaving and eager to see him, she arrived a half hour earlier than the appointed time.

"Hey, guys," she said, walking towards them as a big smile spread across her face.

"Kate!" Castle exclaimed, taking her into his right arm as his left arm settled on his rolling suitcase. People walking by may have thought they hadn't seen each other in months when in reality it was just one night.

"Are you checking that into baggage or—" Kate said, pointing to the surprisingly small suitcase.

"And spend wasteful minutes searching and waiting for my suitcase to come around on the conveyor belt?" Castle asked with a playful look. He shook his head and said, "I'm definitely taking it on as a carry-on." Castle learned to pack lightly thanks to the many tours he went on.

Kate laughed and bit her bottom lip. They were inching closer to the the security check line and all she could think about was how much she was going to miss the man beside her.

"Kate, I have something for you." Castle reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small package. Kate looked at Alexis questioningly and then back to Castle when she saw the girl shrug.

"A key?" Kate asked in disbelief.

"Just in case something happens to Alexis and she needs you. Please! It's the first time she'll be alone and I need to know someone will check in on her."

"Yeah, of course I'll do it."

Kate wanted to kiss him before he left but it felt wrong to do so with Alexis standing there staring at them. Kate found herself gazing at his lips and her face flushed red. She had to remind herself that he was going away for only two days and not years. She looked a way, cleared her throat, and then looked back at Castle. "I guess this is goodbye."

"No, it's not goodbye, I'll be seeing you in two short days."

Alexis stood there smiling at her father. She watched her father swiftly move towards Kate and kiss her on the lips. It started out softly and she quickly turned her head when it became more fierce and urgent.

Kate's knees buckled when his tongue swept over her soft top lip and then slipped into her hot mouth. Kate, suddenly aware of her surroundings, uncomfortable about kissing in a public place and kissing in front of Alexis, pulled away and asked, "Call me when you land?"

Castle looked at Kate's plump red lips, rosy cheeks, and watery hazel green eyes. "I'll miss you too." He brushed his lips over Kate's once more, gave his daughter a long hug and then slipped onto the security checking line.

Kate stood there with her arms around Alexis as Castle slipped through security and blended into the crowd of other passengers.

When they couldn't see him anymore they both turned away and made their way to Kate's car.

"What are you doing today?" Kate asked, breaking the sad silence. It was unnerving for Kate when Alexis, a usually animated girl, remained unusually quiet. "Are you hanging out with Paige?"

"Yeah," Alexis stated flatly. Kate was about to ask another question but then Alexis continued to speak more about how her day was going to proceed. As they neared the loft, Alexis stopped talking.

Kate said, "If you need something, Alexis, I'm just a phone call away. If anything happens, promise me that you'll call. I'll come even if it's something small, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks, Kate. Are we still on for Thursday?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." She pulled the car up to a complete stop in front of the building and watched Alexis climb out.

XXXX

On Thursday morning, Kate made her way to Castle's front door. She knocked on the door and when no answer came from inside Kate freaked out. She pulled out the set of keys Castle gave her and fumbled with them as she opened the door. "Alexis?" Kate shouted, making her way through the apartment. She stopped short when she found Alexis sitting at the kitchen counter, crying. "Alexis!" Kate dropped her bag and rushed to Alexis's side. "What's wrong?"

Alexis lifted her head and handed Kate the list of items she needed. "There are so many things I have to buy and I don't know how I'll find everything. And what if I think I have everything I need and then find out I need something else? What if I buy the wrong things and then everything will be ruined?" Her voice slowly rose to hysterics.

Kate looked over the list and patted Alexis on the shoulder. It was a really long list of things and Kate knew what to do when it came to any complicated task. Taking control, she decided to break the list down. "Don't worry, we'll make sure to get everything but why don't we start with one thing at a time. We'll start with the beddings and work our way down." Kate took Alexis's hand and pulled her into a hug. "We'll do it together. You will never have to do it alone." She rubbed small circles on Alexis's back until she calmed down. Then they made their way to the store.

"Do you know who will be your roommate?" Kate asked, placing a mattress pad into the shopping cart.

"No, I'm not going to find out until I move in there." Two pillows, a full set of sheets, blankets, and pillow cases joined the mattress padding.

They made their way into the next section and Kate caught sight of mirrors. "I know it's not on the list but you may want to get an extra mirror to hang on the door. When I was in college, the girl I roomed with would hog the mirror and spray her perfume all over. It was horrible," Kate said, shuddering from the thought. When she saw the scared look on Alexis's face she quickly added, "But there were also fun times with her. We went to parties, stayed up at night, and talked about the cute boys on campus." Kate realized that speaking to Alexis about other guys, even if it was a long time ago, might be a bad idea.

They continued shopping and a silent lull settled among them as they found items from the list. "I think we're gonna need a new cart," Kate said, smiling at the overflowing cart.

"I think we bought the whole store." Alexis said trying to find a place for the fold-up laundry basket.

"I'm sure if your dad were here then you _would've_ left with the whole store," Kate said, laughing at the image of Castle running around, picking up everything even if it wasn't on the list. She felt the girl beside her stiffen. Damn! She did it again. "Why don't we stop for now, pay for this stuff, and get something to eat," Kate suggested when she felt the switch in mood.

Kate helped Alexis put her items into the trunk and the back seat of the car. "If you want we could leave the rest of the shopping for a different day, maybe when your dad gets back we could do it together." Kate said, unsure of what to say to make Alexis feel better.

"Together?" Alexis questioned. Kate started the car and pulled out of her parking space.

Taken back by the way Alexis said _together,_ Kate said, "I mean... only if you want me to come. I'll understand if you only want to shop with your dad."

Alexis looked at her hands and said, "I didn't mean it like that. It's just, the thing between you and my dad." Kate could hear it all already. She was going to tell her to go away from her father. Kate took a deep breath and focused her eyes on Alexis. "Do you love him?"

Kate wasn't expecting Alexis to ask that question and the answer to that question was easy, but it felt weird to discuss it with Alexis. "Yeah, I love him." Kate took the girl's hand in her hand and looked at her face. "More than you know." Kate thought about the way the boys and Lanie would question and threaten the men she dated. When she heard the next question she finally understood the reason why the men came out looking scared.

"Do you plan on marrying him?"

"Alexis, I didn't even speak to your father about this."

"But do you want to marry him?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"He loves you but if you leave him and I'm not there–"

"I'm not going anywhere." Kate tried saying it with as much conviction as possible.

"You say that now but what happens if you fight. You're going to disappear like my mom and Gina. Everyone thinks that they will stay around but they never do. Even marriage doesn't work. Please just answer my question. It's a simple yes or no question." Alexis said trying to keep the desperation out of her voice.

"It's not a simple question. Being with your father is something... I'm loving every second of it. I don't know, Alexis." She thought about how much she missed him and couldn't imagine her life without him. "Maybe, probably...Yeah. I would if he asked."

"Good!" Alexis exclaimed. She leaned back into the car seat and smiled.

Kate exhaled a long breath, parked the car, and they both entered the coffee shop to grab some lunch.

* * *

**Just wanted to say, "Thank you," to everyone who reviewed and followed this story.**

**Hope you enjoyed it.**


	5. End

Frankie scratched at his white bandages. The bullet injury to his shoulder was transforming into a small scar. He knew this scar would always remain as a reminder to how close to death he came and how much sweeter his revenge would be when he finally makes her suffer. He watched Detective Beckett and a girl with red hair carry shopping bags into the building and then say their goodbyes. He knew where Beckett was headed, knew her working schedule, and he was about to end everything. He followed her car making sure to stay at least two cars behind.

She wasn't sure if this was just another paranoid moment but she knew she had seen that bright blue car before. It had been outside the coffee shop, the loft, and now it sat two cars behind hers. She made a right turn and then a quick left, hoping to lose the bright blue car. When she glanced into her rear view mirror the other car made the same turns. This time there were no cars between her car and the one that had been tailing her.

She fumbled for her phone - and as she made a sharp turn back onto the main street - she quickly dialed the first number on the recent call list: Esposito's number. When the bright blue car returned to the main street, she knew for sure that she wasn't mistaken. Someone was following her and it wasn't the police. The call went to voicemail and she swore as she pressed the end button. She looked up into the mirror again and this time the car stayed right behind her; the driver wasn't scared to be spotted by her. She could barely make out the man's face, though, because the details were blocked out from the sun's glare. She called Esposito's phone once more when she stopped at a light. There was still no answer and this time, before hanging up, she left him a brief message. Was he in a dead zone or with a suspect?

She took a circuitous route to the precinct, hoping to lose the car behind her and two blocks away from the precinct she succeeded. The car disappeared. Maybe she was just good at throwing the car off her trail or maybe she was just being paranoid. She sighed in relief and her heartbeat slowed down as she pulled up into the precinct's parking lot. She carefully looked around and made her way for the Twelfth Precinct. A strong set of arms grabbed her from behind. She tried fighting the man off, but the strong smell of chloroform invaded her nostrils and she caught sight of the bright blue car before collapsing into the man's arms.

XXXX

Esposito and Ryan made their way out of the ICU and back to their car. A nurse had called them saying that Robbie, the policeman, woke up. They needed a statement from him about the attack and what he remembered about it. At this point any information about Frankie was welcome. They knew that he went to jail and that the woman with him had been shot and killed, but they didn't know why he was after Beckett. They had hoped that Frankie slipped up and said more about what he would do when he escaped, but they had no such luck.

Once they exited the hospital's front doors they both pulled out their phones, and headed to the car. Noticing two missed calls from Beckett, Esposito redialed her number and frowned when the call went straight to voicemail.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked when he saw Esposito's puzzled face.

"It's Beckett. She called earlier but now she's not answering...she never turns off her phone."

"Maybe her battery is dead. Isn't she supposed to be on desk duty tonight? Try her phone at the precinct. "

When there was no answer, they both shrugged it off. They would both be by the precinct in less than ten minutes. It couldn't be that urgent because if it was she would've picked up right away. When they reached the precinct's parking garage, Ryan pulled the car into the space next to Beckett's car.

As they walked into the Twelfth, Esposito called and listened to his voicemail. "Hey, Esposito! Call me as soon as you hear this and look up the license plate _CFR~0526_." It wasn't what she said that made him feel uneasy; it was the urgent tone in her voice that made his insides turn and knot up. He searched the precinct for Beckett but couldn't find her anywhere and no one saw her come in. He called Lanie but she hadn't seen Kate either. They spent countless minutes searching for Detective Beckett.

"Look what we got," Ryan said, walking into the room. He signaled to the next room which held a TV screen playing the parking lot's surveillance video. There was a very vivid image of Kate pulling into the garage, Frankie kidnapping Kate, and escaping in a car. Frankie had made a mistake. He was messing with the wrong people. They tracked the car from the street traffic cameras to 42nd street and after that the cameras lost sight of it. A run on the license plate only confirmed that the car was stolen and it belonged to a Mr. Bernitez. With all the buzz going around, Esposito almost missed the redhead who walked in and headed straight for Beckett's desk.

"Alexis! What are you doing here?" Esposito asked, stopping Alexis in her tracks.

"I'm looking for Ka- Detective Beckett."

"Who isn't?" Ryan asked, walking past them and stopping at the murder board for a clue. The board was now filled with information about Kate being kidnapped and all the possible places Frankie could take her.

"I tried calling her but she didn't answer and my dad's not home. I didn't know where else to go and I wanted to ask her something." And yell at her she thought to herself. Didn't she just say that she wasn't going anywhere? The house was too quiet and every little noise made her jump. She never realized how big the house was and without someone to keep her company, her mind went into overdrive. She didn't want to stay home alone so she was going to ask Kate to come over after her shift but now Alexis couldn't even contact Kate. So much for her always being around.

"Come on, Esposito. We should go visit Mr. Bernitez and see what he knows. If Frankie is headed to Bernitez's house he has a good 20 minute head start and stuck in car with you for two hours... this will be one hell of a ride." Ryan said, rushing Esposito out of the room.

Esposito wanted to explain to Alexis what happened to Kate, but he was pressed for time. "We're going in the direction of your apartment. Why don't we drop you off and I'll explain the situation to you."

"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Esposito asked, dropping Alexis off at the loft.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Alexis responded quickly as she headed for the door.

Once she got inside. she turned the TV on as loud as her ears could bear. She had to somehow drown out the silence and the scary thoughts that swarmed in her mind. She was upset at the thought of losing Kate. Especially now that she knew how Kate really felt about her father. Kate was not like any of the other women that dated her father. From the way Kate answered her questions at lunch, Alexis could tell that Kate was real and actually cared. Unlike some of the other women her father dated, Kate didn't want her father for his money. What if Beckett was hurt? If something were to happen to her how would her father react? Forget how her father will react. Alexis knew that Beckett actually gave a shit about how she felt. She knew Beckett had a hard and risky job and now that she was missing...it scared her, affected her more than she thought it would. Although she was reluctant to admit it at first, she really liked Kate. Over the years Kate had always been a constant role model. She was a strong-willed cop who cared about others. She became someone Alexis could rely on. Alexis dialed her father's cell phone she needed someone to talk to; someone to tell her that everything will be okay. Alexis knew her father would want to know what was happening, but she didn't expect him to book the next flight out of California.

XXXX

Kate woke up in the backseat of the car to a strong smell of tobacco. Her arms and legs were tied together by a rope. The car had stopped by the side of the road and if she was ever going to escape, now would be the perfect moment. Frankie disappeared from the front seat and a cloud of smoke followed him out the door. Kate became light headed as she pulled herself into a sitting position and struggled to free her hands from the ropes. She looked out the window and took note of the quiet neighborhood.

XXXX

The last thing Kate remembered when she woke up in the hot, dark basement was the back door to the car being swung open and a metal pipe connecting with her forehead. Her arms ached from being tied over her head to a pipe that ran along the ceiling. She needed to find a way out of there fast. Kate tugged at the ropes and was surprised to find it hitch at a random nail in the wall. She rubbed the rope vigorously against the nail, hoping it would break the rope and free her hands. She tried working faster when loud footfalls sounded by the stairs but all it did was make burn marks across her wrists. The man was came down the stairs holding a large knife. She always thought that when she died she would put up a big fight, but here he was about to kill her and all she could do was hang there defenseless. She whimpered and struggled against the ropes when he brought the knife down and cut her shirt open.

"You're going to pay for the life you stole. I'm going to make you suffer until you beg me to kill you," Frankie said, raising the large stainless steel knife, causing her breathing to become erratic.

She tried protesting from fear but it came out muffled because he had gagged her. He didn't want to hear her protest but he became ecstatic from the muffled screams when he made two shallow incisions across Kate's stomach. He teased her some more, adding pressure with his hands to the cuts. She didn't want to give into the pain and she didn't want him to see her cry. She could feel the blood dripping freely from her cuts, staining her shirt and pants red. Frankie taunted her and yelled at her but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She closed her eyes as she felt the room spin and fell unconscious. Frankie hated her lethargic reaction. He wanted to hear her in pain so he placed a towel soaked in salt water on her wounds but all it did was make the bleeding stop. In frustration, Frankie left the basement and headed out to the backyard for another smoke break.

XXXX

"Yo! Ryan, stop! That's the house," Esposito said, pointing to the small white house with a brick walkway that lead to the front door. Ryan reversed the car and parked in front of the house. They both got out and looked around before walking to the front door. They knocked but there was no answer.

"NYPD! Open the door." Only silence greeted them. They broke down the door and cleared each room as they went. As they neared the basement door they heard a muffled cry. They both looked at each other and spoke with their eyes and hand motions. Esposito was going in first and Ryan was going to cover for him. Guns drawn, they both descended down the stairs. Horror struck them when they found Beckett gagged, hands tied to the ceiling by a strong rope and her feet chained to the floor. Beckett must have tried to escape because the middle of the rope was frayed. Two bloody but shallow cuts ran from her rib to her hip and a dried crusted blood formed at the top of her head. Her hair was matted down with sweat and the heat stifled their breathing. Both men holstered their guns and ran to help Beckett down.

"Beckett!" Ryan said, shaking her, hoping she would wake up."Beckett!" She opened her eyes and tried focusing on the boys. "Do you know where—" Ryan didn't even have the chance to finish his question. The loud slam of the backdoor answered his question for him. Simultaneously, they both stopped helping Beckett. Ryan called the precinct for backup as he and Esposito rushed to seek a hiding place behind a wall. They waited for Frankie to descend the stairs and step foot on the floor before revealing themselves and aiming their guns at his heart.

"Freeze, Frankie, or we'll shoot!" they both shouted loudly. Frankie rolled his eyes and raised his hands above his head. Sirens sounded in the background. Esposito cuffed Frankie to a chair and then he helped Ryan free Beckett from the strong ropes around her hands. As they unchained Beckett, the backup policemen escorted Frankie out of the house.

XXXX

Kate was happy to be back at Castle's loft. She sat across from Castle and Alexis and smiled at them as she drank a cup of coffee. Alexis didn't say a word to Kate. Kate tried asking her questions but she only gave curt answers. Kate thought she made progress with Alexis earlier that morning but now Alexis's hostile attitude returned.

Alexis was happy Kate was back and the thought of losing Kate was overwhelming. Although she wished sometimes that she would have her father to herself, she didn't want anything to happen to Kate. She didn't mean to give abrupt answers but she was still in shock from everything that happened.

Castle got up and stood behind Kate. She stiffened as he rubbed his hand across her back and softly ran them up to touch the cut on her forehead.

"We were both worried about you," Castle said, quietly. He scanned his eyes across her face and down her body. "Does it still hurt?"

"Not really; I'll be fine. It's not as bad as it looks," Kate said, forcing herself to make eye contact and a grim smile spread across her face.

"I wish your job wasn't so dangerous," Alexis said, giving Kate a tight hug. Kate winced from the hug. She tried to hide how much it hurt because she didn't want Alexis to worry even more. The look Castle gave her proved she might be able to fool Alexis but she couldn't fool him.

"I'm sorry you had to worry about me today. I'm not used to having so many people care about me," Kate said. She looked over Alexis's head and back up at Castle.

"I'm just glad you're okay" Alexis said, wiping a tear from her eye. She bolted from the room, leaving Kate and Castle staring after her.

"Is she going to be okay? You should go up there," Kate said, worry seeping into each word.

"Its been a hard day for her. She was scared you were dying," Castle said, squeezing her hands tighter. "Come, we'll talk to her together."

She took his hand and they both made their way upstairs to Alexis's room.

* * *

Sorry this took so long to put up. I have excuses that I was too busy but really I was just procrastinating.

This is the end. I hope you all enjoyed it and thanks for reading it. It's been a good therapy session :p now I'll go sign up for real therapy ;)


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